Steam plant



F. WETTSTEIN STEAM PLANT Filed June 11. 1925 May 1, 1928,

Q 4444 f U TTORNEY Patented May 1, 1928.

aUNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRITZ WETTSTEIN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO AKTIETBOLAGET VAPORAGKUMULATOR, F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, A CORPORATION OF SWEDEN.

STEAM PLANT.

Application filed June 11, 1925. Serial No. 36,355.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a steam plant with an accumulator for hot Water and automatic control means in connection therewith, to permit the generation of steam-inboilers independently of.

steam consumption or hot water consump' tion; to store the surplus ofsteam generated in the form of hot water in a hot water accumulator, and to regulate a condensing medium for the surplus steam, in a manner such that the pressure in boilers is mean tained substantially constant.

A further object of my invention is to control a cold water supply to a device whereinthe cold water condenses steam in response to steam pressure, so that the actuating pressure is maintained constant.

My invention further aims to store surplus energy in a plant in hot water, and use the hot water for feeding boilers, or the like purposes.

My. 'nvention is illustrated by means of the accompanying drawing, in which reference character 1 represents a steam boiler which may be of any type, and fired in any way, whether by coal, oil, pulverized fuel, waste gases or exhaust gases. Steam passes from boiler 1 toconduit 2, and into a conduit 3, from which a motor 4 is supplied, the motor, in the case shown, consisting of a condensing turbine controlled by any desired regulating'means, as for example, a centrifugal governor 5. Reference character 6 designates a condenser for the turbine from which the condensate passes to hot well 7. From hot well 7', water is drawn through conduit 3 by centrifugal pump 9, which may be controlled in any desired-way, or may be operated at constant speed. Centrifugal pump 9 forces water through conduit 10 into a device, wherein steam and cold water are mixed, and which, since it operates much as a feed heater, I will give it that designation.

.Feed heater, 11 may be of any form, and for purposes of illustration, I have shown a feed heater of the tray type, wherein the water fall s successively over trays '12, thus affording large surface for condensation of steam. Steam is supplied to the heater 11 from conduit 3.

Reference character 14 designates a hot water accumulator, which is supplied with hot water formed by mixture of steam and water in feed heater 11, and which supplies water to boiler 1 through conduit 15. I pre- "whereas, if the accumulator is arranged at the same or a lower level than the boiler, it is necessary to have a pump between the accumulator and the boiler. Any means of controlling the fiow of water from the accumulator to the boiler may be employed. For sake of illustration, I have shown a valve 16 controlled by a float 17 in the boiler. Steam conduit 18 affords communication, with the help of conduits 2 and 3, between thesteam space of the boiler and the steam space of the accumulator, so that water will readily flow from the accumulator into the boiler when valve 16 is open.

Furthermore, by means of conduit 18,

- steam can be supplied from the accumulator Inserted in conduit 10 is a valve 19, whichmay be of any desired construction, but is to be arrangedso that it will open on increase of actuating pressure, and decrease the flow through the same upon decrease of actuating pressure, whereby the actuating pressure is maintained constant. This is illustrated in the drawing by having actuatingpressure acting through tube 20act on the lower side of piston 21, on the upper side of which a spring 22 acts. The valve is arranged with its discs in relation to the valve openings, so that upward movement of piston 21 increases the flow through the valve. The actuating pressure is the pressure in conduit 2, which is to be maintained constant or substantially constant, except in suchcases as the accumulator may act as a peak load equalizer by giving off steam. Valve 19 operates to control a supply of water operating to condense generated steam, so that a constant pressure in the conduit to which tube 20 is connected is maintained,

The operation of the arrangement is as follows:

Suppose, with all parts in normal operation, steam passing to the turbine 4:, condensate passing to hot well 7, and water passing through conduits 8 and 10 into feed heater 11 and condensing steam therein, thus preparing hot water which passes through conduit 23 into the accumulator 14, and water being led to the boilers as required through conduit 15, the pressure in conduit 2 rises, due, for example, to increased supply of heat to the boiler, for example, by an increased supply of waste gases, or due to decreased consumption of turbine 4. In-

crease of pressure in conduit 2 causes an increased opening of valve 19 by lifting piston 21. This allows a greater flow of water through conduit 10, and consequently, more steam is condensed in feed heater 11, more steam is drawn into the feed heater from conduit 3, and consequently the pressure decreases in conduits 2 and 3, so that by actuation of pressure through conduit 20, piston 21 becomes lowered due to the preponderance of force of spring 22" over the pressure under the piston, and the flow of water through conduit 10 is reduced to again give a desired value of pressure in conduit 2.

The reverse operation wherein decrease of pressure in conduit 2 closes valve 19 more or less to decrease the supply of cold condensing water, so that less steam is condensed and rise of pressure takes place to normal,

will be readily understood from the above description.

25 designates a make-up conduit for hot well 7. 24: designates a hot Water line leading from accumulator 14, whereby water may be withdrawn from the accumulator for other purposes than boiler feeding.

As is obvious to those skilled in the art, various changes can be made in the arrange- 'ment of parts without departing from the 1. In a steam plant, in combination, a

boiler, a hot water accumulator situated higher than the boiler, a feed heater situated higher than the accumulator, a conduit to supply cold water to said feed heater, means in sa1d conduit actuated by variations of pressure of steam of boiler pressure and operating toincrease flow through said conduit upon increase of pressure and decrease flow through said conduit upon decrease of pressure, open steam conduits connecting 7 said boiler, said heater and said accumulator,

to maintain the same pressure of steam in the boiler, the heater and the accumulator means to conduct hot water from said feed heater to said accumulator and means to conduct water from said accumulator to said boiler.

2. In a steam plant, in combination, a

boiler, a hot water accumulator, a feed heater, a conduit to supply cold water to said feed heater, automatic means directly responsive to changes of pressure in said boiler operating to increase flow through said conduit'upon increase of boiler pressure and decrease flow through said conduit upon decrease of boiler pressure, means to conduct steam from said boiler to said feed heater, means to conduct hot water from said feed heater to said accumulator and means to conduct water from said accumulator to said boiler, the steam conducting means being open to cause the same steam pressure to prevail in the boiler, heater and accumulator.

3. In a steam plant, in combination, a boiler, a hot water accumulator situated above said boiler, a feed heater situated above said accumulator, a conduit to supply cold water to said feed heater, pressure actuated means in said conduit operating to increase flow through said conduit upon increase of boiler pressure and decrease flow through-said conduit upon decrease of boiler pressure, means to conduct steam from said boiler to said feed heater, means tomaintain the same pressure of steam in the boiler, the heater and the accumulator, a conduit .for flow of water from said feed heater to said accumulator, a conduit for flow of water from said accumulator to said boiler and automatic means to control flow through the last mentioned conduit in response to variations of liquid level in the boiler.

4. 1m a steam plant, in combination, a boiler. a hot water accumulator, situated above the boiler, a feed heater situated above the accumulator, a main steam conduit,'

conduits for connecting the boiler, the accumulator and the heater with said main steam conduit, and to maintain the same pressure of steam "in the boiler, the accumulator and the heater, a cold water supply conduit to supply cold water to said feed heater, pressure actuated means in said cold water supply conduit operating to increase flow of cold water through the same upon increase of pressure in said main steam conduit and decrease fiow of cold water upon decrease of pressure in said main steam conduit, means to conduct hot water from said feed heater to said accumulator and means to conduct hot water from said accumulator to said boiler.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRITZ- WETTSTEIN. 

